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Softwashing newbie! Advice guys!

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95
Location
Chesterfield
Hi guys please find attached below this area been re-mortered. Just wondering if softwashing will bring this up? I've got some 14-15% hypo in my shed but never used it before. What sort of mix should I use? Or should I use something else to bring it up.. I've noticed lot of videos people using masks and not using... I'm happy to buy one if required. Any advice would be massively appreciated as never used this chemical before. Cheers guys
 

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I am no expert - only used hypo on my own property. It looks like you have black spot which hypo is good at removing. I have no idea what the stone is so might be worth waiting till someone more knowledgeable comes along.
A mask is a good idea as breathing in hypo isn't good for you. I believe you should use a ABEK type mask.
As for hypo mix I would try 1:4 and a 30 min dwell time with the paving given a pre wetting with water. If that doesn't shift the black spot try 1:3 and 30 mins dwell.
 
What are you trying to accomplish remove the yellowing from the mortar or black spots ?? Cannot see from the picture what the black spots are ?? Just be careful if there is any iron oxide in the stone as hypo will turn it rusty red .
 
Sorry guys just re read my post.. it originally had that awful red sand mortar inbetween and the mortar has been re done. I'm wanting to use it to hopefully get rid of the black spots on the slabs. Best of going for 1 litre hypo and 4 litres water? Scrub it in with firm brush and rinse off 30 mins later? As for the iron oxide I have no idea?
 
Yes that should be a strong enough mix to start with. You may have to spray it again and might want to strengthen the hypo dilution to 1 :2 or 1 :3 to get rid of all the black spots - they're lichen and hard as nails in the algae world.
If needs be you could go to 50/50 hypo/water and some people use it neat but you won't need to go that strong to remove them. Just be prepared to treat it a few times or longer dwell time, but hypo will do the job.....and be prepared for the strong smell and might be better to pre-warn customers about it , but once it's rinsed away and dry it's perfectly safe for people and pets.
 
Yes that should be a strong enough mix to start with. You may have to spray it again and might want to strengthen the hypo dilution to 1 :2 or 1 :3 to get rid of all the black spots - they're lichen and hard as nails in the algae world.
If needs be you could go to 50/50 hypo/water and some people use it neat but you won't need to go that strong to remove them. Just be prepared to treat it a few times or longer dwell time, but hypo will do the job.....and be prepared for the strong smell and might be better to pre-warn customers about it , but once it's rinsed away and dry it's perfectly safe for people and pets.
Thanks for the advice! Any mask you would recommend? Is overalls essential etc. I've watched well known people wear masks and some not which I found bizarre. Rather be safe than sorry. I've noticed people wear masks when they apply but take it off when they rinse I assuming its very active when it's down first thing but dilutes down in that stage? Again rather be safe than sorry. Cheers
 
Screw fix do masks suitable for it cannot remember the number but cost about £35 if I remember, we don’t always ware them depends on the job if a bit of breeze and well ventilated we don’t ( probably should though ) if a still day, or down alley ways etc then yes we do . Painters disposable paper type overalls are good but you sweat like mad in them , we generally wear old work cloths just for softwashing then get changed when the jobs finished ,
 
Yes that should be a strong enough mix to start with. You may have to spray it again and might want to strengthen the hypo dilution to 1 :2 or 1 :3 to get rid of all the black spots - they're lichen and hard as nails in the algae world.
If needs be you could go to 50/50 hypo/water and some people use it neat but you won't need to go that strong to remove them. Just be prepared to treat it a few times or longer dwell time, but hypo will do the job.....and be prepared for the strong smell and might be better to pre-warn customers about it , but once it's rinsed away and dry it's perfectly safe for people and pets.
Hi mate I've just got some surfactant and some masking scent. How much surfactant and scent mask would you put in the mix? As I've only got 5 litre pump sprayer I'm going to do as mentioned 1 litre hypo 4 litres water.
 
So I gave the patio a go today did 1 litre hypo and 4 litre water in 5 litre sprayer. Dwelled for 30mins then washed down. Didn't really do much... so went for 2.5l hypo with 2.5l water again another 30 min dwell. I felt this did shift it a bit more. I'm debating whether to do it neat... here was the results
 

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Where you have black spot lichen then you will need to dip a cloth in neat hypo and leave on top of it, overnight. Next day it should be gone. I usually use a scrub brush and bucket of neat to tackle the bad bits.
 
So I gave the patio a go today did 1 litre hypo and 4 litre water in 5 litre sprayer. Dwelled for 30mins then washed down. Didn't really do much... so went for 2.5l hypo with 2.5l water again another 30 min dwell. I felt this did shift it a bit more. I'm debating whether to do it neat... here was the results
You need to wet it down well with tap water first then apply hypo mix what are you trying to remove ?? If it’s licken you need to hypo and pressure wash just putting hypo mix on and rinsing off won’t do much ,on some surfaces you will need a stronger mix , and keep re applying if it’s a sunny day or it will dry out . On a patio like that I would apply it by watering can I doubt a 5 ltr pump up sprayer will apply enough mix especially if it’s a weaker one .
 
How old is the hypo? You said you had it in your shed - how long has it been there and had it been opened at any time before using it?
And out of interest who did you buy it from? Because some time ago I bought some online that was supposed to be 15% and no way was it

Anyway, I did this sandstone patio this week and sealed it today.. I used a full 20 litre drum of 15% and was at it all day to get it like this. I started with approx 3 : 1 and ended up using half and half and stronger and there were still some black lichen, but when I returned today they'd faded to almost nothing
Indian-Sandstone-before.jpgafter.jpg
 
How old is the hypo? You said you had it in your shed - how long has it been there and had it been opened at any time before using it?
And out of interest who did you buy it from? Because some time ago I bought some online that was supposed to be 15% and no way was it

Anyway, I did this sandstone patio this week and sealed it today.. I used a full 20 litre drum of 15% and was at it all day to get it like this. I started with approx 3 : 1 and ended up using half and half and stronger and there were still some black lichen, but when I returned today they'd faded to almost nothing
View attachment 26985View attachment 26986
Looks mega that! It was from alliance had it about year opened it but first time used so was technically year old opened. I had bit of headache in the evening after Id finished it.. was wondering if it was the hypo or the mask that caused it as I was sweating like mad..
 
Looks mega that! It was from alliance had it about year opened it but first time used so was technically year old opened. I had bit of headache in the evening after Id finished it.. was wondering if it was the hypo or the mask that caused it as I was sweating like mad..
Most hypo has a 6 month shelf life from purchase date , once it’s been opened it starts loosing its strength but we regularly use it 2 months out of date with no noticeable difference, as for the headache I have never experienced that wearing a mask or not , could it be coincidence?? Sweating again unless you are allergic to hypo I cannot see it’s that none of us have ever had those symptoms.
 
Most hypo has a 6 month shelf life from purchase date , once it’s been opened it starts loosing its strength but we regularly use it 2 months out of date with no noticeable difference, as for the headache I have never experienced that wearing a mask or not , could it be coincidence?? Sweating again unless you are allergic to hypo I cannot see it’s that none of us have ever had those symptoms.
I asked because as Paul says once opened it starts to weaken and degrade and I wondered if it might be old hypo. I also never wear a mask and have never had any problems.
It's interesting you say you got it from Alliance - is that Blue Horizons or a similar name? Because putting the fact that it was out of date to one side for a minute, I bought hypo from them twice a few years ago. I got it because I needed it ASAP and they had the fastest delivery.
Both lots were supposed to be 15% and it was the most ineffectual hypo I've ever had. I did a few google searches on them and found posts on the other forum with someone also complaining about the strength and saying it couldn't have been 15%.
Of course, not that that proves anything and I don't want to malign them but it reinforced my own impressions about their hypo.

But R.E. your problem, I'd suggest buying some fresh hypo and trying again. Liquipak on Ebay are one of the more reasonably priced and their delivery is excellent - fast and free.
 
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